Drill rig



y 1954 s. D. GUNNING 2,683,588

DRILL RIG Filed Oct. 16, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

SAMUEL E GUNNING ATTORNEY July 13, 1954 s. D. GUNNING 2,683,588

DRILL RIG Filed Oct. 16, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 '3; ZW/l/l/l/ll/l/l/l/ 4 I'IIIIIIIIIIIII IMIIIII/ h\\\\.

IN V EN TOR.

SAMUEL D. GUNNING ATTORNEY Jul 13, 1954 s. D. GUNNING 2,683,588

DRILL RIG Filed Oct. 16, 1951 -e Sheets-Sheet s so 79 80 8| 82 a2 8| 7.69 as as 59 FIG? INVENTOR. SAMUEL D, GUNNiNG 6 ATTORNEY July 13, 1954 s GUNMNG 2,683,588

DRILL RIG Filed Oct. 16, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. SAMUEL. D. GUNNING ATToRNEY July 13, 1954 s. D. GUNNING 2,633,533

DRILL RIG Filed Oct. 16, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.3

INVENTOR. SAM UEL D, GUN NI NG ATTORNEY Jul 13, 1954 s. D. GUNNING DRILL RIG 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Oct. 16. 1951 INVENTOR. SAMUEL D. GUNNING ATTORNEY Patented July 13, 1954 DRILL RIG Samuel D. Gunning, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Le Roi Company, a corporation of Delaware Application October 16, 1951, Serial No. 251,611

11 Claims. 1

This invention relates broadly to drilling apparatus, but more particularly to a drill rig for supporting a rock drill of the percussive type.

When drilling in the faces of coal mine shafts or the like preparatory to the loading of explosive charges, the holes are generally drilled according to a well established pattern, which includes the drilling of holes in the face close to the floor of the shaft. These holes, referred to as too holes or lower holes, are inclined downwardly a predetermined extent calculated to position the bottom of the drilled holes level with the floor. Other holes included in the pattern are holes drilled in the face adjacent the ceiling of the shaft, which holes are generally referred to as headers or upper holes. Like the lower holes, they are also inclined but upwardly a predetermined extent. Heretofore drill rigs used for drilling lower and upper holes each included a drill supporting arm, or the like, movable up or down with a drill carried by the free end thereof. Because the angles of the drill supporting arm, when positioned for lower or upper hole drilling, were too steep for the proper angles of the corresponding holes, it was necessary after each setting of the arm, to adjust the drill relative thereto to the proper inclined position. In addition to the time consumed by such adjustments, it was difficult for the operator to position the drill so as to assure parallelarity of the lower as well as the upper holes.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide such rig with a drill carrying arm equipped with a simple and eflicient mechanism whereby the drill carried thereby is automatically moved to the proper drilling angle when in elevated or lowered positions.

Another object of this invention is to produce a pivotally supported drill carrying arm of the parallelogram type, where the pivot points are arranged and disposed in a manner causing the drill to automatically assume the proper drilling pitch when raised or lowered relative to the work.

Another object of this invention is to produce a drill rig with a single pivotally supported drill carrying arm arranged and disposed in a manner enabling the drill to assume the customary drilling positions without interference.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a drill rig embodying the invention. In thi view the drill carrying arm and its supporting mechanism are shown in full lines, while the drilling apparatus and one end portion of a wagon are shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the drill carrying arm in another position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 33 in Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged top plane view of the drill carrying arm shown in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged View of the right end portion of the arm as shown in Figure 5. I

Figures '7 and 8 are enlarged cross sectional views taken on lines l--? and 88 respectively in Figure 5.

Figure 9 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 9-9 in Figure 2.

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic sketch showing the end of the carrying arm in another position.

Shown in the drawings, there is a wagon on a wheel supported frame generally designated by A, a drill carrying arm B with its supporting and actuating mechanism C and a drill or drilling apparatus D. The wagon A, only an end portion of which is shown in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2, generally includes a horizontal frame supported by three or four wheels 2| and having a cylindrical stanchion Z2 rigidly secured thereto. If the drill rig is intended to be used for mining purposes, wagon A is preferably in the form of a mine car equipped. with four rail wheels, but when used for road work, excavations or the like, it is preferably equipped with three wheels, one of which being a caster wheel.

stanchion 22 extends vertically and upwardly from frame 20, and carries supporting and actuating mechanism C including a substantially cy lindrical housing 23 rotatable on the stanchion and adapted to be locked thereto by bolts 2%. Extending laterally from the base portion of housing 23, there is a relatively large and rigid lug 25 having two parallel vertical side walls 26 (Fig. 3), the purpose of this lug to be explained later. The upper end of the housing 23 is formed with an offset fork 21 having pivotally secured between the side walls thereof by cap screws 28 a worm gear housing 29. A worm gear and worm, not shown, are operatively mounted within housing 29, the worm having its main shaft 30 extending laterally through both sides of the housing and having mounted on one end a fluid actuated rotary motor 3!, while the other end 32 is shaped to receive a crank handle, not shown, thereby enabling rotation to be imparted to the worm either manually or by motor 3|. The worm gear within housing 29 is internally threaded to receive a screw element 33, which moves longitudinally upon rotation of the worm gear.

Referring now'more particularly to the invention, the drill carrying arm B consists of a load supporting beam 34 mounted between two parallel and identical actuating plates 35, see Figs. and 9. As viewed from the side, such as in Fig. 2, the beam and plates, except for the e1-- treme end portions thereof, are of substantially the same configuration, and include an inner longitudinal section 36, an outer longitudinal section 37 and a lateral or uniting section 38'. The two longitudinal sections 36, 37 are oilset relative to each other, with. the inner section beinghigher and materially shorter than the outer one. llhe uniting section 38 forms with each longitudinal sections 36; 3.7 an obtuse angle internally reinforced by a diagonally extending filler 39.

The beam 34 is preferably made of two channel bars 48, 4!, facing each other but laterally spaced and united by upper and lower iron plates 42-, 4-3 which are preferably welded to the outer side walls of the bars as at 44, thereby resulting in a hollow beam of substantially rectangular cross section. All three sections 36, 3?, 33 of the beam 34 are fabricated in this manner and welded together to produce a relatively light, yet strong beam capable of supportin the intended load without appreciable deflection.

Extending longitudinally from the inner end of the beam, that is, from the inner end of its longitudinal section 36 as shown in Fig. 3, are two parallel ears 45 which are preferably welded to the internal vertical walls of the channel bars 40, 41. These two ears straddle the lug extending laterally from the base of housing 23-, and arepivotally connected thereto by a pivot pin A15, rotatably mounted within a bushing 4"! press fitted in the lug. Pivot pin 43 is locked axially by spring clips 48 engaging the ends of bushing 41, and is provided with lubricating ports 49 normally closed by'a lubricant gun receiving fittingv 50.

The inner ends of actuating plates extend somewhat beyond the end of beam 34 defined by the ears 55, and are bent slightly upward to straddle two cylindrical bosses 5! extending laterally from the lug 2 5 and preferably made an integral part thereof. Extending through the lug 25 and its bosses 5 I, there is a renewable bushing 52 having a pivot pin 53' rotatably therein on which are pivotally mounted the inner ends of the actuating plates 35, which are held thereon by washers 54 and spring clips 55. Pivot pin 53 is. also provided with lubricatin ports 56. normally closed by a lubricant gun receiving fitting 51.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the inner end of the beam 34 as well as the inner ends of the actuating plates 35 arev pivotally connected to the housing, 23' carried by the stanchion 22', on two parallel axes, the pivotal axis. of the beam being below that of the plates and further away from the housing 23 as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Welded on the upper wall 42 of the beam inner section 35 near the uniting section 38, see Fig. 9, are two parallel, laterally spaced and upwardly extending lugs 58, accommodating between them the fiat apertured end 59 of the "screw 33,

which end is pivotally connected to the lugs by a cross pin 63. This pin is also locked axially by spring clips 6i and has lubricatin ports 62 normally closed by a lubricant gun receiving fitting 63. Thus the beam 34 is pivotally connected to and carried by the screw 33.

The outer end of the beam 34 is bent slightly downward, and has its upper and lower walls cut away to leave only two laterally spaced parallel side walls B l, see Fig. 7, having a bushing 65 extending laterally therethrough, in which is rotatably mounted another pivot pin 65. Pivotally mounted between the two side walls 5-2 and on the bushin and pin 9.5, 63, there is a tang 6'! which, extends upwardly therefrom and above the end of the beam is formed with a saddle 68. Like the others, the pivot pin 68 is locked axially by spring clips 89 and is provided with lubricant ports 10 and fitting H. The saddle 68 includes a relatively large fiat seat 72, a stationary jaw 13, and a movable jaw l l slidable on a bolt and normally urged away from the jaw l3 by a compression spring '63. Jaw M is movable toward jaw 33' by a nut ll mounted on bolt '15-. In the present construction, the saddle E8 is provided with two diametrically opposed laterally extendll'l'g trunnions 78 which are press fitted or rigidly secured by any other means in the side walls of the saddle. The two trunnions are coaxial, their axis being parallel to and, above the axis of pivot pin 66. The axes of trunnions l8 and pivot pin 33 are located in a plane perpendicular to the seat l2 ofsaddle l8.

Like the inner ends, the outer ends of the plates 35 are bent slightly upward and are provided with laterally extending headed bushings '19 extending through and welded to the plates. The bushings '19 are rotatably mounted on the trunnions iii and retained thereon by spring clip $3,v thereby pivotally connecting the outer ends of the plates 35 to the saddle. Trunnions 18 are also provided with lubricating ports 3! and fittings 82.

Near its outer end, the beam 34 has a hole 83 extending through the side walls thereof and through the plates 35 in which is slidable an eye bolt 54 as shown in Fig. 3. Through the plates 35are provided longitudinally extending slots 85, through which protrudes the bolt 8 3, one end of which carries washer 3'3 and nut Bl engaging on of the plates, while its other end carries a washer 823 engagin the other actuating plate. Engaging washer there is pivotally connected to bolt 8 by a cross pin 89- a forked cam 96 having an actuating lever 3! extending upwardly therefrom.

The drilling apparatus D is one of a type well known in this and since it does not form a part of the present invention, detailed description thereof is. not thought necessary. Briefly, it includes a relatively long frame or shell 92 having rigidly secured thereto and depending therefrom a cone 33. Shell 32 is provided with parallel guides, not shown, extending the full length thereof and having slidable therein a rock drill 84 capable of delivering impacts to a drill steel which extends longitudinally therefrom. As shown, cone 3315 located somewhat closer to one end of the shell 52 than the other, and is shaped with its center axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drilling apparatus D and located in a plane coincident with the, center axes of, the trunnions T3 and pivot pin 65. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cone 93 is seated on the flat Seat T2 of the saddle 83' with its center axis perpendicular thereto, and is effectively clamped between jaws l3, it by nut H, which nut may be released to enable the drilling apparatus to be rotated on the center axis of the cone 33 into any desired positions. To that end, the longitudinal section 3? of the arm B has been made longer than the greatest length between the cone 93 and th ends of the apparatus D, thereby enablin rotation of the drilling apparatus on the center axis of the cone without interference from the uniting section 38 of the arm.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the drill carrying arm B, consists of the beam 3:: located between the parallel actuating plates 35 which are movable relative to the beam but can be locked thereto by the cam 90. The inner end of the beam is pivotally connected to the housing 23 by pin or pivotal connection 45, while the inner ends of the plates 35 are similarly connected to housing 23 by pin or pivotal connection 53. The outer end of the beam 34 is pivotally connected to the tang or lower end of saddle 63 by pin or pivotal connection 66, while the outer ends of the plates 35 are similarly connected to the saddle by trunnions or pivotal connection 18. It will also be understood that rotation of the worm gear within housing 29 will eifect longitudinal movement of the screw element 33 and the pivotal movement of the arm 13, that is of the beam 34 connected to the screw element 33 and of the plates 35 connected to the beam by the saddle 68 and cross bolt 83, to raise or lower the drilling apparatus D.

As previously stated, the pivotal connection 35 between the inner end of the beam 34 and the housing 23 is located below the pivotal connection 53 between the inner ends of the plates 35 and the housing 23, and is also further away from the center axis of the housing than the connection 53. Similarly, the pivotal connection 66 between the outer end of beam 34 with lower end of saddle 58 is located below the pivotal connection it between the outer ends of plates 35 and upper end of saddle 68. During pivotal movement of the arm B on the two parallel pivotal axes of 46, 53, the pivotal connection 66 between the outer end of the beam 35 and the lower end of the saddle 68 will follow the are indicated by the dotted line E, having E as its radius, while the pivotal connection 78 between the outer end of the plates 35 and the upper end of the saddle 68 will follow the arc indicated by the dashed line F, having F as its radius. nections 55, 53, that is, the centers of the radii E, F respectively, is calculated to keep arc F, which has the longest radius, generally outside of arc E and to be substantially tangent thereto at about the half way mark of the possible travel of the connection 18. If this half way mark is denoted by G, it can be understood that if arm B was lowered to position connection 18 above and connection 36 below G as shown in Fig. 10, both connections would be located in a vertical plane HH coincident with the center axis of the cone 93, thereby resulting in the drilling apparatus to be substantially horizontal, as shown in Fig. 10. As arm B is raised from halfway mark G, pivotal connection 66, which of course remains on the arc E, gradually shifts to the right of the vertical plane HH passing through connection is, thereby causing saddle 33 to rotate slightly on pivot 36 in counterclock wise direction and drilling apparatus D to auto- The relative location of the pivotal con- I matically assume the upwardly inclined drilling position shown in Figure 1. When the arm B is lowered from halfway mark G, pivotal connection 66 gradually shifts to the left of the vertical plane H-H passing through connection 18, Fig. 2, thereby causing saddle 68 to rotate slightly on pivot 66 in clockwise direction and drilling apparatus D to automatically assume the downwardly inclined drilling position shown in Fig. 2.

As above described, it is clear that pivotal movements of the arm B on its ofiset axes 45 and 53 automatically effect movement of its actuating plates 35 relative to its beam 34, for instance from the position in Fig. 2 to that in Fig. 1, which relative movement automatically effects rocking movement of saddle 68 on its carrying pivot 66 and the consequential tilting motion of the drilling apparatus D. With the arm B raised or lowered to the desired position, the actuating plates 35 may be locked to the beam 34 by the cam 90 which, through the bolt 84, clamps the actuating plates against the side walls of the beam. The longitudinally extending slots formed through the plates enable movement of the plates without interference from the bolt 84.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the invention provides a simple and efiicient arm constructed and arranged in a manner causing the drilling apparatus carried thereby to be automatically tilted to the best standard drilling positions as it is raised or lowered relative to the work. This automatic tilting of the drilling apparatus of course eliminates the need of manually adjusting the saddle mounting each time the apparatus is raised or lowered to different drilling positions, and also assures that all holes drilled on the same level are perfectly parallel.

I claim:

1. In a drill rig, a drilling apparatus carrying arm including a beam, a pair of actuating plates one on each side of said beam extending the full length thereof, arm carrying means including a support, a pivotal connection between the inner end of said beam and support, a pivotal connection between the inner end of said plates and support, a drilling apparatus receiving saddle, a pivotal connection between the outer end of said beam and saddle and a pivotal connection between the outer ends of said plates and saddle.

2. In a drill rig, a drilling apparatus carrying arm including a beam, a pair of actuating plates one on each side of said beam extending the full length thereof, arm carrying means including a support, a pair of pivotal connections one between the inner end of said beam and support and the other between the inner ends of said plates and support, a drilling apparatus receiving saddle, and a pair of pivotal connections one above the other through which the outer ends of said beam and plates are pivotally connected to said saddle.

3. In a drill rig, a drilling apparatus carrying arm including a beam, a pair of actuating plates one on each side of said beam extending the full length thereof, arm carrying means including a support, a pair of pivotal connections one between the inner end of said beam and support and the other between the inner ends of said plates and support, a drilling apparatus receiving saddle formed with an integral tang depending therefrom, trunnions pivotally connecting the outer ends of said plates to said saddle, and a pivotal colmection between the outer end of said beam and tang.

4. In a drill rig, a drilling apparatus carrying arm including a beam, a pair of actuating plates one on each side of said beam extending the full length thereof, arm carrying means including a support, a pair of pivotal connections one between the inner end of said beam and support and the other between the inner ends of said plates and support enabling pivotal movement of said beam and arms on two dififerent but parallel axes, a drilling apparatus receiving saddle between the outer ends of said plate, trunnions pivotally connecting said outer ends to said saddle, and pivotally connecting means between the outer end of said beam and said saddle located below said trumiions. I

5. In a drill rig, a drilling apparatus carrying arm including a beam, a pair of actuating plates one on each side of said beam extending the full length thereof, arm carrying means including a support, a pair of pivotal connections one between the inner end of said beam and support and the other between the inner ends of said plates and support enabling pivotal movement of said arm relative to said support on two-different but parallel axes, a drilling apparatus receiving saddle, a pair of pivotal connections one between the outer end of said beam and saddle and the other between the outer ends of said plates and saddle enabling pivotal movement of said saddle relative to said arm on two difierent but parallel axes.

6. In a drill rig, a drilling apparatus carrying arm including a beam, a pair of actuating plates one on each side of said beam extending the full length thereof, arm carrying means including a support, a pair of pivotal connections one between the inner end of said beam and support and the other between the inner ends of said plates and support enabling pivotal movement of said arm relative to said support on two different but parallel axes, a drilling apparatus receiving saddle between the outer ends of said arms having a seat perpendicular to its center axis, trunnions pivotally connecting said outer end to said saddle, and a pivotal connection between the outer end of said beam and saddle below said trunnions, the center axis of said last connection and of said trunnions being located in a plane the inner end of said beam and support, a drilling apparatus receiving saddle, a pivotal connection between the outer end of said beam and saddle, and means automatically effecting pivotal movement of said saddle relative to said beam upon pivotal movement of the latter relative to said support including a pair of actuating plates one on each side of said beam extending the full length thereof, a pivotal connection between the inner ends of said plates and support and a pivotal connection between the outer ends of said plates and saddle, the distance between the end pivotal connections of said plates being greater than the corresponding distance of said beam.

8. In a drill rig according to claim '7, in which the end pivotal connections of said plates are located above the corresponding end pivotal connections of said beam.

9. A drill rig according to claim '7, including releasable locking means between said beam and plates.

10. In a drill rig, a drilling apparatus carrying arm including a beam, a pair of actuating plates one on each side of said beam extending the full length thereof, the side configuration of said beam and plates being substantially alike and including two longitudinal sections ofiset relative to each other and rigidly united by a transversal section, arm carrying means including a support, a pair of pivotal connections one between the inner end of said beam and support and the other between the inner ends of said plates and support, a drilling apparatus receiving saddle, and a pair of pivotal connections one above the other through which the outer ends of said beam and plates are pivotally connected to said saddle.

11. In a drill rig, a drilling apparatus carrying arm including a beam, a pair of actuating plates one on each side of said beam extending the full length thereof, the side configuration of said beam and plates being substantially alike and including two longitudinal sections offset relative to each other and rigidly united by a transversal section, arm carrying means including a support, means pivotally connecting one of said longitudinal sections to said support including beam end and plate end pivotal connections having different but parallel axes, a drilling apparatus receiving saddle, and means pivotally connecting the other of said longitudinal sections to said saddle including beam end and plate end pivotal connections having difierent but parallel axes, said last longitudinal section being substantially longer than the other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,377,279 Stewart May 29, 1945 2,456,056 Fellay et a1 Dec. 14, 1943 2,581,667 Joy Jan. 8, 1952 

